Logitech G413 Carbon

Is this super-thin mechanical keyboard a compromise too far?

While RGB lighting and macro keys might seem like all the rage in gaming keyboards, the cost of all those extra features adds up. Between the Roccat Suora (http://roc. gg/2pSA8M3) and HyperX Alloy FPS (http://bit.ly/2qzoMst), it’s clear there’s a demand for an affordable keyboard with a straightforward design and fewer gimmicks.

Meet Logitech’s first affordable mechanical gaming keyboard: the G413. Available in separate Carbon and Silver versions, the Logitech G413 ditches the usual media and macro keys, along with fully customisable RGB backlighting, in favour of a frameless design and a full set of Logitech’s proprietary Romer-G switches.

Priced at £99.99 ($89.99), the Logitech G413 is competitively priced, costing the same or less than other similarly specified keyboards, including the HyperX Alloy FPS (£99.99/$99.99), the Corsair Strafe (£109.99/$99.99), and the Roccat Suora (£79.99/$99.99).

Design

When compared to most gaming keyboards – or even most other PC keyboards come to that – the Logitech G413 looks a little naked; since it lacks a plastic fairing, you can see the keyboard’s underlying base plate in all its glory.

While we dig the painted black metal and red backlighting on the Logitech G413 Carbon model, tested here, we love the brighter steel panel and white backlighting on the Silver version even more.